Strange to say, so soon as he began to fit the keys into the chest, so soon as he heard their jingling, a convulsive shudder passed over him.

He suddenly felt tempted again to give it all up and go away.

But that was only for an instant; it was too late to go back.
He positively smiled at himself, when suddenly another terrifying idea occurred to his mind.

He suddenly fancied that the old woman might be still alive and might recover her senses.

Leaving the keys in the chest, he ran back to the body, snatched up the axe and lifted it once more over the old woman, but did not bring it down.